Russia ramps up jet-powered Shahed production: «Flash» warns of new threat

Russian forces are gradually increasing the share of jet-powered strike drones in their mass attacks across Ukraine. The enemy aims to complicate operations for Ukrainian air defense by deploying new drone modifications that fly at significantly higher speeds.

Serhiy «Flash» Beskrestnov, an advisor to Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, said this during the national United News telethon.

Rising threat and countering the Geranium-3

The proportion of jet-powered Shahed-type strike drones used in mass Russian bombardments is steadily growing. While the buildup is gradual, military leadership is fully aware of the trend and expects the number of these drones in Ukrainian airspace to increase further.

Currently, Russian forces actively use jet-powered Geranium-3 models for attacks. These drones can reach speeds of around 300 km/h, but Ukrainian air defense forces have already adapted and are effectively destroying them.

Enemy plans for Geranium-4 and Ukraine’s response

In the future, the occupiers plan to switch to the more dangerous and faster Geranium-4 strike drones. They expect that Ukrainian defenders will find it much harder to intercept targets moving at such high speeds.

«The Russians are currently using the Geranium-3, and we are successfully countering them. However, they will attempt to deploy the Geranium-4 in the future, hoping that we will struggle to hit targets flying at 500 km/h,» explained the defense minister’s advisor.

The speed of this new modification will range from 400 to 500 km/h. However, Beskrestnov assured that the Ukrainian military is fully aware of Russia’s strategy, closely monitors their movements, and is already preparing countermeasures.